Acts - Chapter FourSample

 Peter and John’s Courage 

When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. Acts 4:13

The Sadducees’ were an influential political body and did not believe in the resurrection, hence they would have felt insecure when listening to Peter. According to Josephus a historian, the Pharisees were about 6000 in number in all of Israel, hence the Pharisees would have been quite threatened at the rising number (5000 men Acts 4:4) who had turned to Christ. Judeans despised the Galileans for intermingling with the local populace and considered them to have compromised their commitment to the law. Here the contrast is even more visible; the highly educated, aristocratic, religious body in all their regalia, try to question and silence two lone Galilean fishermen.

Peter was not intimidated neither did he try to be diplomatic, or worse still, attempt to deny Christ. Neither did the overnight stay in the prison cell, abate Peter and John’s boldness, given the fact that they were the only Apostles who had witnessed, Christ’s torture, before he was condemned to die. Peter in fact went a step further and called out their guilt by leveling a charge against them. ‘…you crucified …the stone you builders rejected…’. He then truthfully and courageously declared that Christ was the only way to salvation and that he is alive.

The leadership saw Peter and John as unschooled, ordinary men but who demonstrated extraordinary power because they had been with Jesus. 

The leaders, did not know…

what to say- ‘…there was nothing they could say. Acts 4:14. 

what to do- ‘“What are we going to do with these men?”’… Acts 4:16a . 

…what to decide ‘…They could not decide how to punish them…’Acts 4:21. 

As we spend time with Jesus, His power and courage will stand out. It will silence the accusers. May we not be intimidated by those around us but let us continue to declare Christ with His strength and power.